Socialist wet dream. In reality someone has to pay for all these adults wasting time instead of working for a living.
Renting a sewing machine from the library
41–50 of 244 posts
Re: Renting a sewing machine from the library
#42Finnish libraries are fantastic. Many had free-to-use 3D printers as far back as 2012! Libraries are a place of possibilities and fun, and it makes people want to be there. You can imagine the long-term positive impact this has.
The Deichman Library in Bjørvika, Oslo, Norway (they named their public library after a businessman/book collector who donated his books to the city) is basically a hangout space: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UT1xI7SSdLo
Re: Renting a sewing machine from the library
#43Libraries around me have just become a homeless shelter. Pretty sad because the buildings themselves are actually quite nice and I'd use them often if it weren't for the high likelihood of being harassed.
Re: Renting a sewing machine from the library
#44If you went into programming because you like making things, odds are high you'll like sewing too. Speaking from experience.
In my experience it will also make you appreciate aspects of physical production that don't apply to programming. For example, how precisely you need to cut fabric and join/pin/baste fabric together before you sew such that it looks nice. I'm glad I don't need to reckon millimeter precision on a ruler for my job.
Re: Renting a sewing machine from the library
#45Libraries around me have just become a homeless shelter. Pretty sad because the buildings themselves are actually quite nice and I'd use them often if it weren't for the high likelihood of being harassed.
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Re: Renting a sewing machine from the library
#46I always wanted to start a musical instrument library. I loved working in a music store, helping people pick out the right instruments for what they're trying to accomplish, but always constrained by their budget. We had a per-semester rental program for school band students, where we'd take a deposit and rental fees but we'd handle the maintenance and families could save a ton versus buying. Something similar where like, you want to loan out a particular amp or pedal or synth or cymbal or something to go record a record for a week, the library would be there to help you access gear you couldn't normally afford, and I'd be there to keep everything working and help you find the right tool for the job.
Maybe someday.
Re: Renting a sewing machine from the library
#47My very small town growing up had sewing machines and they eventually even got a 3D printer. In high school I sewed a heart shaped pillow for a valentines day present; the library provided a bin of free fabric/stuffing as well as the machine. Libraries are awesome.
Re: Renting a sewing machine from the library
#48Denver has this... nominally. 3 machines (2 in circulation, one is a "Display"). 4 week checkout period. 103 current holds. 103*4/2/12 ≈ 17 year wait time.
That theoretical wait time doesn’t usually end up being so long. Between borrowers returning things early, people on the wait list giving up and most importantly, the library deciding that the current inventory is insufficient, the wait times usually are much less than that (I’ve observed this with books and other materials at my local library and the wait on in-demand times is never as long as the queue would imply).
Re: Renting a sewing machine from the library
#49Libraries around me have just become a homeless shelter. Pretty sad because the buildings themselves are actually quite nice and I'd use them often if it weren't for the high likelihood of being harassed.
You mean being asked for spare change makes you avoid that library? Why not just give them your change?
Re: Renting a sewing machine from the library
#50there's things like "tool libraries" and it might be good to see more lending beyond books; some of the libraries I've seen have morphed more into like makerspaces and/or meeting spaces rather than just places to get books
Tool libraries rock, i think this model could work really well for lots of things especially in big cities.
I am blessed with a huge apartment but even i have to make decisions about what tools to keep around given the space. Yeah i could buy something from harbor freight and use it once and donate to the thrift store, but how much better if my neighbors and i could just share a big collection of stuff we all might need once every year or two